


Music to My Ears

by thealphagate_archivist



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Established Relationship, Humor, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-03-30
Updated: 2006-03-30
Packaged: 2019-02-02 07:26:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,176
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12722211
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thealphagate_archivist/pseuds/thealphagate_archivist
Summary: Jack is scared of the dentist. Daniel wants to help.





	Music to My Ears

**Author's Note:**

> Note from the archivists: this story was originally archived at [The Alpha Gate](https://fanlore.org/wiki/The_Alpha_Gate), a Stargate SG-1 archive, which began migration to the AO3 in 2017 when its hosting software, eFiction, was no longer receiving support. To preserve the archive, we began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in November 2017. We e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are this creator and it hasn't transferred to your AO3 account, please contact us using the e-mail address on [The Alpha Gate collection profile](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/thealphagate).

The dentist. Okay, everybody who enjoys a visit to the dentist raise his or her hand. No? Daniel's sleeping next to me, and of course I shouldn't count on him raising his hand right away, but hey, you never know. The phone call I just got didn't even wake him up, isn't that something. 

I suppose I'd better explain what I'm talking about before you all go wide eyed and open mouthed on me, like Daniel always does when he's at a loss.

I hate going to the dentist, and that's an understatement. How come a rough, tough snake-bating U.S. Air Force colonel feels that way? I really have no idea. It's just that whenever I see that dental chair-- well, let's just say, all I have to do is see it, not even think about lying in it, and I get a helpless feeling like I can't quite catch my breath. And I don't DO helpless and breathless. Crap. Lying there with your mouth open, all loaded up with those gauze thingies and those sharp, pointy instruments, not being able to say anything more than a 'huh' or an 'uh', while he asks you all kinds of questions? Not to mention the torture when they drill into your teeth, and you hang onto the arms of the chair with a death grip? The whole damn thing leaves me sweating and wanting to run away. And I don't normally do sweating and running away, either. 

I've been tortured by the best of them, off world and on. Alien or human, they've all had a go at me, on other worlds and right here on Mother Earth, back in my special ops days. But dentists? They're in a class by themselves. I try to block out the fear, and I'm very good at that most of the time. Hey, I'm still a colonel. But I just hate it. After all these years, it still makes me nauseous.

So, what am I rambling about this early in the morning? I'd been to the damned dentist just yesterday, over at Peterson Air Force Base In Colorado Springs. We all have to go there twice a year, and they don't wanna hear about how you're scared. You go and present your teeth, or you get written up. So I went. 'Course, I must say that it took Daniel a lot of talking and persuading for me to actually go, but I did. 

The appointment was just for a check up, anyway. Just a cleaning, a little talk about my oral hygiene habits, and some x-rays. The dentist was a woman, her name badge said Lt. C. Baker. And everything was fine. I was in a sweat, but it wasn't too bad, and I didn't quite choke on the nasty toothpaste or those damned little x-ray packets made out of plastic that cut into the bottom of your mouth. She didn't seem to notice that I was nervous, and thankfully I got out of there with my dignity intact. 

But this morning, waking up to that phone call wasn't great. It happens a lot of course, as you never know when a problem will occur on base. I thought it might be General Hammond. I snatched up the phone at the bedside, almost dropping it since I was trying to pry open my eyes. 

"O'Neill." I cleared my throat, and knew that it wasn't the SGC the moment I heard the female voice on the other side of the line.

"Colonel O'Neill? I'm calling from the dental clinic, sir. I just needed to let you know that we found a couple of cavities on the x-rays we took of your teeth yesterday. We just had a cancellation, sir, and Dr. Baker was hoping you would come in at ten this morning." 

All that had come to mind was a 'yeah, sure. okay' while my heart had stopped in my chest, and that damned sweating started again. I still felt the tension inside while I wrote down the appointment on a small piece of paper on the bedside table. Ten that same morning, and no way to say no, since she told me that one of the holes in my teeth, under some filling was kinda big, they didn't know when they could get me in next, what with my irregular work schedule, and so it was important for me to come in today. Crap, I shouldn't have let it go so long. I'd had to miss many appointments, being off world and all. 

Hanging up the phone, I'd looked next to me at one sleeping archaeologist. He looked so peaceful and trusting. I immediately felt some of my nervousness fade away. That's what Daniel does to me, but I don't tell him that too often.

So now I've told you how the story started, I hope you don't stick around for more. You don't wanna see me getting a root canal or an extraction, now do you? Not that I need one, but just in case I do, I'll let you know right now that I don't want you watching. So, get lost already.

* * *

"Jack?" Daniel's voice suddenly whispers in my ear. 

I turn to see his blue eyes staring at me. Now, how in the world did he wake up with me missing it? I love the way he sleepily opens his eyes and mutters when I wake him with feather soft kisses in the morning. Stupid phone call made me miss one of the best moments of the day. Oh, I really hate the dentist. 

"Who was that, do we have to go in?" he asks, and I can hear his disappointed tone in the way he asks it. Daniel never minds sleeping late, as long as it's with me. I know that, and it makes me smile. To hell with the dentist, I so don't wanna go. 

"Nothing, wrong number." I mutter and slowly press a kiss on his full warm lips. I hear a soft moan in return, and I can feel a smile starting to spread across his lips as I kiss him. "What?" I ask, staring at him backing away at the same time. 

"Nothing."

"No way, Daniel." I know he's smiling for a reason, I can see it in his eyes, and I wanna know, right now. I must tell you folks that I found a weakness in Daniel a while back. And I'm going to take advantage of that now. I know, I'm evil, and I love it.

"Tell!" I put my fingers on his chest and stomach and quickly move them up and down, small touches but I also pinch my fingers a bit. 

"Oh, God. JACK, no, no, stop tickling!" He writhes under me, and tries to get away. 

Nope, having none of that. "Tell!"

"Ah, fuck you, O'Neill!" With tears of laughter in his eyes, it's kind of endearing that he yells at me. I really don't mind, and I know I'll win. I always win this early in the morning before Daniel's had his first cup of coffee. It's not fair, I know.

"That would be nice, Danny." I keep on tickling. "But fucking has to wait. Now, give! What were you smiling about?"

"No-nothing!" he wheezes, gasping with laughter.

Before I can hold him down, he rolls over on top of me, onto my side of the bed and snatches at the note on the bedside table. The note where I wrote down my appointment. My dentist appointment. Argh.

I make a grab for the little piece of paper, but he ducks and falls, tumbling off over the side of the bed. I hear a muffled 'ouch' as he lands on the floor. I would have winced in sympathy, but not now as I try to reach out and grab the note back from his hands. 

"Gimme that! Shit, Danny!"

"Dentist?" I can hear triumph in his voice as he finally sits up, leaning on the bed, the note just out of my reach, smiling up at me. 

Who can get angry at a smile like that? I can't, that's for sure. Not for long, anyway.

"I knew it had something to do with the dentist." His smile vanishes though as he examines his elbow. "I think I landed a bit too hard. Shit." 

"Serves you right. Sneaky bastard. And anyway, no way, Daniel." 

He stares up at me again. "Excuse me?"

"No way will I kiss that better for ya."

"What did I do?" 

He does his best pout as I pull him up, dragging him back onto the bed. There he lies, looking at me, blinking in his most innocent way, and he just knows I can't resist that look. I lean in and kiss him. 

"That's not my elbow, Jack," he mutters into my mouth.

"I know."

Before I can kiss him some more, he grins. "Going to the dentist again, huh?" 

"It's not funny, Jackson."

"It's only the dentist, Jack."

"So?"

"So you're not as tough as you pretend to be."

"So?"

"So you're going, right?" The grin is gone and he looks up at me in earnest. "You should go."

"Who said I wasn't?"

"I know that look." He points at my face with one finger.

"What look?" I'm proud of doing a good impression of someone cool and collected. But still, Daniel won't fall for it, I feel it in my bones. Heck, I feel it in my knees. Don't ask me how or why, I just do.

With a sigh, I think of dental chairs, Novocaine and drilling. I mean drilling my TEETH, so get your minds out of the gutter right now. Crap, I'm getting sick to my stomach again.

"I'll go with you," Daniel offers. "If you want."

"Wh. what?"

"Hold your hand."

I stare at him, my mouth open. He's got to be kidding. Hold my hand? Yeah, right. No way will that female dentist ever find out how scared I really am. Neither will Daniel. He's smiling at me again with that small I-know-what-you're-thinking smile. So, okay, he probably already knows how scared I am. 

Suddenly I'm pissed at him. "Jeez, Daniel." I scowl and get up to get away from his questioning eyes. To get away from him. He's thinking I need him to go to the dentist with me? I know I'm scared, I know I really would like him to come with me, but it's just that *he's* the one suggesting it. I've got my pride, and there's no way. I know I'm gonna hate myself in a minute, but I'm just too angry to care. 

"Jack?"

"Just stop it, Daniel."

"Huh?"

"I'm not a baby," I snap at him as I step away from the bed to make my way to the bathroom. "So, don't treat me like one," I throw over my shoulder.

"But." 

"Ah, forget it." I don't even look back at him as I shut the bathroom door.

* * *

When I finally finish my shower and dress, I go out to the kitchen to find Daniel sitting at the kitchen table reading the newspaper. My thoughts are depressing me as I wander in. He's not looking at me, and really, I can't blame him. I also had a hard time looking at my own face in the mirror just a minute ago.

Daniel sips his coffee and pretends I'm not there as I make my way to the coffeemaker to get some of the dark strong brew as well. I need it to settle my nerves. Toast, where is the toast?

It's not fair. This is our morning off work. We should be in bed. We should be having hot wild sex in said bed, not arguing about the damned dentist appointment I don't even want to go to.

Glaring at Daniel, I know these thoughts aren't helping. He always looks so edible in the morning. He hasn't had his shower yet, and he's sitting there with his hair sticking out in all directions, dressed in a pair of sweats and a ratty old tee shirt. Boy, I really want to go back to bed, preferably with him.

He's still pointedly ignoring me though. Probably pissed at me for my earlier bad attitude. But hey, this colonel has a reputation to uphold, and no way will I admit how damn scared I am of my appointment with the dentist, any dentist.

When I sit down at the kitchen table with a loud sigh, Daniel finally looks me in the eye. He doesn't really look angry. Just a little sad. Crap, did I put that look on that handsome face? 

"Daniel, I."

He lifts one finger. He always does that when he wants to interrupt me. And I have no choice, I let him. 

"You want some advice, Jack?"

Advice? I look in his blue eyes, trying to find the answer to that question. As long as he doesn't want to hold my hand again, and I'm still not sure if that was a joke or not, I guess I can use some advice, even though I have no idea where this is going.

"Yeah, sure."

"Take this with you." He takes out an item from under his newspaper, and shoves it over the table in my direction. It's my old Walkman. I have a Discman nowadays, but I sometimes still use this relic to listen to my cassettes.

Before I can say anything, he gives me a shy smile. "It'll take your mind off what they're doing to you. I put your favorite tape inside." Then he stands up and starts to walk out of the kitchen. "I'm gonna take a shower now. Good luck, Jack."

Speechless, I stare after him in amazement and then at the Walkman in my hands, wondering where the hell Daniel had found it. He's gone before I can ask, so chewing on a piece of toast, I put the headset on and push the play button.

Classical music. Verdi. I can't help the smile spreading over my face. How very smart. He knew it would be a good idea to listen to the music, to distract me while the dentist did her work. Man, he's inventive at times. And he loves me, I know he does. And damn, don't I love him right back. 

I'm still scared, but hey, it's only the dentist, right? I can do this. I have to.

* * *

Once I was on my way, I couldn't seem to get to Peterson fast enough. Not that it was a long ride or anything, but in my mind it had seemed that way. I couldn't remember how I'd gotten there, but finally I did, and found myself sitting in the clinic waiting room, nervously wiping the sweat off the palms of my hands onto the front of my trousers. Dr. Baker's name was on a plaque on the wall. Carla Baker. Great. I was scared of a woman. Correction, of a woman dentist. 

Why am I telling you all this anyway? Why are you still around? I thought I told you all to stop reading and go away some time back? 

I fiddle around with the Walkman, wondering why I thought listening to the thing would ever work. I'm too tense to listen to music really. I can't even bring myself to talk to the young airman sitting next to me when he smiles at me. Good teeth, no doubt. 

Damn, why does waiting always seem to take so long? It feels like even longer when you're sitting in a dental waiting room. It drives me nuts. After flipping through every magazine in the room, I'm about to stand up and ask someone about the delay when the clinic door opens and a woman dressed in white looks in. I recognize her as Dr. Baker's assistant.

"Colonel O'Neill?" 

"Yeah?"

"You can come in now, sir." 

I stare at her for a moment. As I get up and try to walk towards her, my feet feel suddenly very heavy. Taking a deep breath, I follow the assistant down the corridor and then into Dr. Baker's inner sanctum. It smells funny in there. And there's that damned chair. I break out in more sweat. 

"Colonel." Doctor Baker smiles at me, gesturing at the chair. "Go ahead and sit down, sir."

"Sure." I blink at her, and I'm vaguely aware of the Walkman I clutch to my chest like some kind of lifeline. She looks nice. Blond curly hair pulled back from her face, small glasses, a genuine smile. Nice teeth, of course. But she's the dentist, so don't let any of that fool you folks. 

"What's that?" she inquires as her assistant drapes me with one of those paper napkin thingies.

"What?" I ask stupidly. I frown and follow her finger pointed at my chest. 

"A Walkman?" 

"Uhm, it's some music I like to listen to," I mutter, looking down at the device still cradled to my chest. I wonder if she thinks I'm crazy or something.

"Great idea," she enthuses. 

"It is?" 

What did she just say, and what did I just answer? It is? Well, I must admit, thinking it over again, that it probably is worth a try. Yeah, why not? I don't wanna disappoint Daniel now, do I. Daniel, who I wouldn't let come with me to hold my hand. Who I wish was there right at that moment. Even though I couldn't let him hold my hand, it'd be nice to have the moral support. Oh, well, too late now.

While I fumble around with the headset, the dentist tips the chair back and gives me a moment to put on the headset and get the wire stretched out so I'm not entangled in it. She doesn't say a word, but just smiles. I put the tape on and she gives me a thumbs up while I open my mouth and hear the music blocking out all other sounds. Right, here we go.

The music is soothing, and I can't help but relax. I can still feel the dentist working, and her assistant is sitting on the other side of me, suctioning out my spit and the water from the drill, but the music helps to tune it out while I listen and think about Daniel, about how much he means to me and I mean to him. I'm an old softy, I know. Don't tell anybody, okay? Daniel really does know me better than I know myself, and I almost smile thinking about him. I would if I didn't have my mouth busy. I close my eyes instead and think about the music and those familiar blue eyes. 

A shake on my shoulder makes me open my eyes and blink, and I see the dentist smile and say something I can't hear. I pull off the headphones and raise my eyebrows in question. 

"You can rinse your mouth with that cup over there, colonel." She pushes a button to raise the back of my chair. "You're all finished."

I am? Wow, that was quick. And I didn't even feel a thing. Of course that's the Novocaine working, but I realize I must look rather surprised. Boy, my lower lip feels ten times as thick as it normally does. "I amb?" I sound like someone talking with his mouth full.

"Yes, colonel." She nods, still smiling. "You did just fine."

"Gweat." I hurriedly put a hand up to my mouth, wondering if I'm drooling.

* * *

"Daniel?" I close the front door behind me.

"In here."

In the hall, I stare around the corner into the living room. He stands up out of the huge chair near the fireplace. Books fall off his lap onto his feet, and I can't help laughing as he yelps and tries to pick them up, meanwhile smiling at me like he's embarrassed about it.

"Hey, Jack. How'd it go?"

"Oh, you doh." I lope down over the stairs to go over to him and help him with his precious books. "By bouf feels like I went two wownds wib Bohabed Ali." Jeez, I really do sound like my mouth hit a brick wall.

Daniel's waggles his eyebrows at me and frowns, trying to make sense of my slurred speech. And before I know it he grins, and than starts laughing, bending forward to kiss me. So not a good idea with lips this numb. I won't feel anything, and I think I might still be drooling. Stupid Novocaine.

"Stob." I lift my hand to stop him and move back. "I *do* bant to feel it, Daniel." It's inviting, but hey, by the disappointed look on his face, I'm not the only one who wants a kiss at the moment. 

"Right." He gives me a wicked glare. "Later, Colonel O'Neill."

Oh man, I don't have any feeling in my lip, but I still have a lot of it left in certain other parts of my body. His eyes follow my every move when I stand and walk to the kitchen. "Coffee?" 

"Yeah, I made a fresh pot. Thought you might need some with all you've been through."

Crap. I haven't even thanked him for that tape yet. Too busy looking into those blue eyes, O'Neill. Before I reach the kitchen, I turn on my heel and almost run back to the living room. My speed makes me bump into Daniel, and again all his books tumble to the floor while he lets out another surprised yelp.

"Jeez, Jack."

"Oops." I bend over to get the books one more time when he suddenly turns back and sits down in the chair near the fireplace.

"As a kid I used to be very scared of the dentist. It was Egypt, after all, where I was living at the time. They were a bit more primitive with everything." He seems to have guessed my thoughts about what I wanted him to know. How typical of Daniel. I don't have to tell him how I feel really, as he always finds out for himself. He knows me better than I do myself sometimes, but I think I already told you that, didn't I? 

"One day, Mom gave me a Walkman with exciting stories on tape about digs and newly found artefacts. It helped keep my mind off the idea that the dentist might hurt me. Of course he never did, 'cause I was always lucky enough to have no cavities."

"Lubby indeed," I admit groggily. "Bub 'dis has t'be d'lass timb I skib by bentist abointbent 'cause I'm boff wold." 

"Good idea," he agrees.

"T'anks bor the tabe, Daniel." There, I finally said it. 

"You're welcome." 

Suddenly I feel exhausted, wrung out from worrying and sweating and thinking too damned much. All I want to do is sleep and wake up without this dumb numb lip. I yawn loudly and see Daniel smile.

"Wanna go take a nap, Jack?"

"Wib this lib?" I point at it.

"With all of you."

"Ah." Now there's a thought I love, but it's soon replaced by another one. The 'duty' one. "We neeb to be ab d'base ab 1300."

"Tonight then?" 

Daniel stands up and passes by me with a leer, and it makes my brains go to mush. Tonight, crap. I wanna get laid right now. Numb lip or no lip at all, I no longer care. And please, don't tell me you could resist a look like that from Daniel. No way you could, so don't start. 

Before Daniel has reached the kitchen, I grab his arm and turn him around to face me. "Ib's not 1300 yeb!"

"But your lip," Daniel protests, pointing at my mouth with an innocent expression, but I can see by the light dancing in his eyes that he's as horny as I am. He stares at me for a long minute, his eyes seeming to penetrate my thoughts. Then his hands sneak around my waist and grab hold of my ass. 

"On the other hand, Jack, I can use mine."

Suddenly I'm covered in tiny kisses, starting on my upper lip and my cheeks, ear, going down my neck while one hand lifts my shirt. Yeah, Daniel can kiss. Boy, am I glad he's not the one with the numb lip. Verdi was nice, but this is much better. 

I can't help but comment as I hold on to Daniel, "You are busic to by ears, Danny."

"How about some more music for the soul right now?" he whispers, making all my other thoughts go south. 

"Bed?" I mumble, as my knees can't take more of this. 

"Bed," he agrees. He takes my hand, and I let myself be lead out of the room.

Oh, and if you're still here, reading? I want to inform you that this will be a private matter. You may've had a fun time reading about all that dentist crap, but I'm not kidding this time, so just go away. Thanks. 

~finis~


End file.
